Gardeners Turn Food Waste Into Food Plenty

The less money you have in the U.S., the more likely you are to eat processed foods full of starch and sugar. And if you have to depend on food from a community pantry, the likelihood of bringing home fresh fruits and veggies for your family is slim to none.

The issue of course, is not a lack of fresh, high quality food in the U.S., especially in the summertime when the country’s gardens and farms are brimming with fruits and vegetables. The problem is one of logistics - how can leftover locally grown produce get into the hands of those who can use it quickly, without expensive refrigeration, storage and staffing?

The answer: via the web.

Three year old AmpleHarvest.org is an online forum created to connect the dots between fresh local produce and those in the community who need it most. Their “No Food Left Behind” campaign gives home gardeners, gleaning organizations (groups who pick leftover produce on farms and in the community), supermarkets and farms vital information about local food pantries so that fresh produce can be dropped off just before it is to be picked up. Churches and other organizations then don’t need to pay to store the food, and neighbors in need can gain access to some of the freshest produce available within a few hours of harvest.

“AmpleHarvest.org allows gardeners, even those without much money, to become the Bill Gates’ of their communities,” says Gary Oppenheimer, the group’s Executive Director and Founder. “When you plant seeds, you get 50 to 100 times the value in produce. That can turn backyard gardeners into philanthropists by just planting an extra row and donating extra produce to the local food pantry.”

In 2011, over 20 million pounds of backyard produce was donated to local charities via the site, and now more than 5000 food pantries are listed on AmpleHarvest.org. A “Google for food pantries,” the service allows gardeners and others with extra fruits and vegetables to look up pantry locations and contact information simply by typing in their zip code.

The group is also now working to create GleaningHarvest.org, an extension of the site that will cater to those interested in helping harvest the millions of pounds of fresh produce left on farmer’s fields each year. A partnership with DinnerGarden.org helps to also provide free seeds to gardeners.

“Everywhere we are told to eat better,” says Oppenheimer. “But tens of millions of people in the U.S. can’t afford to do so. Now we can get the best food in the community to those who need it through the internet."